1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to reusable sleeve devices to fasten a temporary liquid storage container to a dispensing tube having a mouthpiece. The present invention relates more specifically as an enhancement to existing backpack hydration products, such as the Camelbak™, and as an adaptation of the Aquapodkit™.
2. Prior Art
Prior art backpack type products provide a hands-free hydration system to the customer who is drawn to the outdoors and/or activity. The reservoirs of these products must be cleaned with mild soap, warm water and/or cleaning tablets. They must be dried completely. Sanitation issues are a consideration with these existing products. Staining and taste issues are problematic.
Prior Art Camelbak™ Device
Prior art hydration devices typically provide a reusable bag in a backpack or carrier. A fill port is provided in the upper portion of the bag and a discharge port is provided in the lower portion of the bag. A portion of the bag is typically permanently secured to a portion of the fill port assembly so that the seal between the fill port assembly and the bag is formed by an adhesive, heat sealing, or welding, such as ultrasonic or RF welding.
FIG. 1 is a top view and FIG. 2 is a side view of a prior art device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,780 to Forsman et al and assigned to CamelBak Products LLC. The device includes a fluid reservoir, or bladder, 12 with an internal compartment 16, which is adapted to store a volume of drink fluid 18. The device includes a drinking tube 22 which is attached to a lower discharge or exit port 32. The reservoir 12 includes an input port, or fill port, 40 through which drink fluid 18 may be poured into or removed from the reservoir. Fill port 40 also provides a passage through which the interior of compartment 16 may be accessed, such as for cleaning. As shown, fill port 40 includes a neck, or neck portion, 42 that extends from the body portion of the reservoir and includes an opening 44 through which drink fluid may exit the fill port. As illustrated in FIG. 3, which is an end view of the prior art device, the neck 42 may be integrally formed with reservoir 12, or separately formed and then joined to the reservoir, such as by a suitable sealing mechanism. Examples of suitable sealing mechanisms include the use of an adhesive, heat sealing, and welding, such as ultrasonic or RF welding.
Although the drinking tube could be removed from the reservoir and re-used, it is generally not practical to provide disposable bags or reservoirs for this type of design because in addition to the bag itself, portions of both the exit port assembly and the fill port assembly are permanently attached to the bag, and must be provided on the replacement bag. Therefore standard practice with these types of devices is to clean, attempt to dry, and then re-use the existing reservoir.
Prior Art Disposable Bags
U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,231 to Noell et al describes replacement or pre-filled bags with a shutoff or check valve provided on the exit port. In one embodiment, pre-filled bags are provided without the fill port. In another embodiment, bags have a fill port. In the case of user-filled replacement bags, this approach also appears to have the disadvantage of requiring portions of both the exit port assembly and the fill port assembly to be attached to the replacement bag.
Rigid Systems
U.S. Pat. No. 7,600,656 issued to Karl et al describes a rigid fluid container and cites problems with prior art bag designs:
“While some improvements have been made in such bag-like systems, the reservoirs of these systems are often expensive and difficult to clean due to their construction. Flexible or “soft-sided” reservoirs (e.g. bladders, bags, etc.) are typically constructed from two sheets of high grade plastic that are bonded or welded together along their edges to create a bag with water-tight seams. These bags then have components attached to them for filling and dispensing fluids, such as an input port with a large threaded neck to fill the bag which ice and water, and an output spout with a bonded or welded drink tube. The resulting reservoir is typically a water-tight, though expensive, assemblage of fused or bonded parts. These assemblages usually have many internal seams and corners that are difficult to clean with conventional methods. For example, these collapsible bags typically include small voids or traps that are difficult to clean and often require accessories for facilitating proper cleaning (e.g. a hanging rack, etc.) to permit cleaning fluid access and/or air circulation. In some cases, the difficulties associated with cleaning the bag tend to outweigh the usefulness of the hydration bag as a desirable system for providing hydration to a user.”
Aquapodkit™
The Aquapodkit™ provides temporary emergency water storage for use in bathtubs during emergency situations. The reusable fastening/locking/dispensing sleeve device of the Aquapodkit attaches to a disposable bladder. The sleeve device is designed to accommodate a pump or siphoning device to dispense the water as needed. The Aquapodkit is designed for a large volume of family emergency water storage.
The present invention provides a sanitary disposable container that can be used to accommodate a variety of fluids while eliminating the need for constant cleaning. It is adaptable to existing backpack, waist attached or similar receptacle hydration product.